Peace Preparations

Introduction

One of the things I have always enjoyed about the Gospel of Luke is the richness of detail.

Why does Luke take the time and put in the effort to cite a mixture of Roman and Jewish leaders?

Last week, we talked about Advent as a time to dwell in the darkness as a spiritual practice.

It is a time to reflect on ourselves and the world around us.

Collectively… these figures in the Gospel of Luke remind the reader of the tension in the landscape that John and Jesus were to face.

Palestine was an insignificant outpost in the far reaches of the Roman Empire.

This meant that Rome wouldn’t waste its resources by sending their best and brightest there to govern.

In other words, you have Roman leaders who are cruel, incompetent, manipulative, and have their self-interest in mind.

At the same time, you have Jewish leaders who are trying to maintain their power, which often means colluding with the Romans.

This relationship between Rome and Temple leaders required mutuality to maintain power and survive.

They enriched themselves by manipulating the people and creating systems to their benefit.

Because of this power dynamic at the top and a struggle to keep that power—we see oppression of people at the bottom.

This was the world of suffering and tension that John was facing as he emerged from his years of seclusion to begin “calling for people to be baptized to show that they were changing their hearts and lives and wanted God to forgive their sins.”

Let us fast forward to today… I have to tell you, when I heard I was preaching during the second week of Advent, which symbolizes peace, I became anxious.

Luke went to great lengths to remind his readers that the political and religious landscape of the time was one of chaos—a real mess, one might even say darkness.

Today we live in a dark world as well. We’ve seen Israel and the Palestinians go to war, and we have seen Iran launch a direct drone attack on Israel.

The war in Ukraine continues to rage on; just recently, the Ukrainians have permission to launch long-range US missiles directly into Russia.

This past week, South Korea declared martial law and centralized control over the media, which was reversed hours later.

Here in the United States, we have a deep political divide that has caused anxiety and tension that has fractured families, friends, congregations…

The world around us is dark...

But it’s not just the external world around us that is sometimes dark… is it?

I know some of you out there have a neighbor who has brushed their leaves into your yard… and you are harboring some ill feelings.

Others may be experiencing turmoil over a broken relationship.

Perhaps you didn’t get that promotion at work your heart desired...

Who knows… there might be some tension or jealousy going on in yourself…

Maybe… just maybe, there is that disgruntled customer, neighbor, or family member who just won’t come around and see eye to eye with you, and it has created some tension in your heart...

The world within us is dark...

The question for us this week to wrestle with is… When the world around and within us is dark, how does the text prepare us to experience Jesus?

Give Blessings

We prepare to experience Jesus by giving blessings to God and our neighbor.

Our first gospel reading is the Song of Zechariah, which we recited as our opening prayer.

If you missed the first Advent Bible study from last week… Let me catch you up.

Zechariah encounters the Angel, Gabriel, who tells Zechariah that he will conceive a child with his wife, Elizabeth, and they are to name the child John.

Zechariah and Elizabeth are older, and we don’t know how old they are other than advanced in years.

Zechariah wonders aloud how they will conceive a child. Next thing you know, Zechariah becomes mute, unable to speak… Elizabeth becomes pregnant, and Zechariah remains mute....

I imagine some women might enjoy a mute husband during pregnancy.... others might find it more difficult…

The time of the birth comes along, and Zechariah still can’t speak. Elizabeth names the child John, and many folks are surprised because Jewish custom was to name the child after someone in the family to keep the legacy alive.... and there were no Johns in the lineage.

Zechariah affirms Elizabeth’s naming of the child John in staying obedient to the will of God.

All of a sudden… Zechariah can speak. What does he first say?

“Bless the Lord God of Israel...”

Zechariah gives blessings...

God has fulfilled the promise of providing Zechariah and Elizabeth with a beautiful, healthy baby boy.

Zechariah, who wasn’t confident about a pregnancy with his wife, experiences this promise being fulfilled by God.

Zechariah has confidence that God has now fulfilled the promise given to Israel through the prophets by sending a messianic redeemer.

A mighty savior, one who brings salvation and recuses us from our enemies...

In this confidence, Zechariah blesses this new baby boy of his…

John, who is to be a prophet of the Most High, will go before the Lord to prepare his way.

Zechariah gives blessing...

When the world around us is dark, we often overlook the power of a simple blessing.

There has been a frenzy of media since the election. Much finger-pointing… much division… much anxiety… much fear…

Interestingly, four years ago… there was much finger-pointing… much division… much anxiety… much fear… It was just the other half of the country.

We are one country, one nation under God. By blessing other people, especially those you may disagree with…

…you’re opening your heart to stepping into that other person’s worldview and achieving a greater understanding.

…when we bless others, you see… we increase our chances of listening and watching.

When we receive a blessing, we tend to relax, let our guard down, and be open to the person blessing us.

…being open to God to transform our lives…

…being open to Jesus showing us the light of those dark thoughts or deeds that linger in our hearts…

…being open to those who have blessed us, sometimes those who are unexpected…. Their blessing is transformative and opens us up to stepping into their worldview.

Give blessings…

A couple of years ago, well more than a couple of years, maybe six or seven. A colleague of mine was diagnosed with cancer.

Understandably, there were moments when her energy was low, she felt broken, and there was no way up.

We created a blessing box in our office, and when there were those low moments… I invited her to think of a blessing for someone and to put it in the box.

What are some of the blessings you’d recognize for the work God is doing in your life right now?

Just imagine that blessing box right in front of you…

Go ahead and make that deposit…

What are some of the blessings you’d recognize for the work God is doing in your life right now?

There are times when the world around and within us is dark… One way to clear this darkness and experience Jesus is by blessing God and neighbor.

Turn Our Ways Around

We prepare to experience Jesus by turning our ways around.

Before reading our opening prayer, the angel tells Zechariah: “He will bring many Israelites back to the Lord their God. He will go forth before the Lord, equipped with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will turn the hearts of fathers back to their children and turn the disobedient to righteous patterns of thinking. He will make people ready for the Lord.”

The key word here is to turn...

You might think of turning as repentance...

So often, we think of repentance as saying I am sorry… Perhaps a light or passive.... I’ll try better…

But turning is a movement; it requires action and momentum.

After all… the text tells us, “John went throughout the region of the Jordan River, calling for people to be baptized to show that they were changing their hearts and lives and wanted God to forgive their sins.”

Then we have this beautiful imagery from Isaiah quoted… “A voice crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way for the Lord; make his paths straight. Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be leveled. The crooked will be made straight, and the rough places made smooth.”

Now I want to invite you to notice here...

Prepare the way for the Lord by making his paths straight…

People are being prepared to remove whatever obstacle is getting in the way of loving God and neighbor…

People are being prepared to self-reflect and look where they’ve gotten off the beaten path and back on the straight and narrow…

We don’t see in the text… Prepare the way for the Lord by increasing your military...

We don’t see in the text… Prepare the way by encroaching on territory that isn’t yours...

We don’t see in the text… Prepare the way by forcing your principles and beliefs on other people…

We don’t see in the text… Prepare the way by harboring our life-limiting thoughts and behaviors…

Now remember… many people thought the Messiah was going to be militaristic and would come and liberate them from the oppression of Rome.

So many people got it wrong…

What we have here is a preparation that is spiritual, not militaristic.

John’s mission is reconciliation… To turn people back to God.

Redemption isn’t being rescued by all these oppressors mentioned in the text…

Redemption is being rescued by sin.

How many of us have witnessed a heated argument or injustice and gotten wrapped up in the moment?

In the age of social media, it can be easy to join a discussion thread and add to the negativity rather than spreading peace.

When we find ourselves getting wrapped up in this… I invite you to acknowledge this temptation and, instead, take action and turn this around by choosing to be a peacemaker.

Take a breath, pray for guidance, and then approach the situation by offering constructive dialogue or support to someone involved.

When the world within you is dark, turn your way around to prepare yourself for the transformative experience Jesus brings into your life.

Be Inclusive

We prepare to experience Jesus by being inclusive.

The Gospel of Luke tends to be more inclusive than the other Synoptics.

We see more stories about women and their financial independence and patronage.

Luke tends to be more direct about marginalized people...

The Gospel of Luke was composed for a mixed audience… The Gospel teaches us to prepare the way of the Lord by being inclusive…

Today's second text quotes Isaiah with this beautiful imagery of filling valleys, clearing mountains, and making a crooked path straight.

Mark and Matthew quote the same passage and illustrate this imagery as well...

But they fall short of the next verse in Isaiah: “The LORD’s glory will appear, and all humanity will see it together; the LORD’s mouth has commanded it.”

Luke includes this verse in his gospel account.

John the Baptist is calling all people—Jews, Gentiles, Democrats, Republicans, Black People, Brown People, White People, Gay People, Lesbian People, Cowboy Fans, Buffalo Bill Fans... We’re all invited to the table.

A couple of years ago, Dennis and I were invited to a cultural event hosted at a Presbyterian church in Amherst.

They were welcoming immigrants to the community and hosted a potluck dinner.

Everyone was invited to bring a dish that represented their culture.

There were many dishes with various smells and textures; for a foodie, it was a slice of heaven.

As we all gathered and broke bread together, the love of Christ was evident.

Just as our opening prayer is a remembrance of the covenant with Abraham, our second reading also provides a remembrance of the prophet Isaiah.

So, too, was there a remembrance in the dishes around the table. Each one told a story...

In that moment, inclusivity became a living embodiment of preparing for the Lord’s coming—showing that every person is cherished in God’s eyes.

As we continue to move into the holiday season, I invite you to take special note of those around you.

Those at your work parties…

Those sitting off to the side at a family gathering...

Those who tend to be the devil's advocate...

Those running low on energy...

Take special notes and invite them gently into the conversation.

Show interest in their life and be respectfully curious.

Include them, listen to them, and love them.

When the world around us is dark, be inclusive to prepare for a kingdom that includes everyone.

Conclusion

As we move into this second week of dwelling in the darkness in preparation for the Light to come...

As we sit and observe the darkness of the world around us and the need for change…

the need for hope…

the need for reassurance…

the need for love...

We ask ourselves, how do we prepare ourselves for the Light to come? That transformative experience of Jesus?

I propose...

...we give blessing…

...we turn our ways around (in other words, we repent), and...

...we are inclusive.

In our advent study, I asked a slightly different question but related…

How does the church help prepare its people to be ready for their Lord?

The church provides each and every one of you with a community.

You see, friends, you do not have to dwell in this darkness alone...

One of the miracles Christ performed was building community so that we could experience his love until the second coming.

We are a church for everyone! Luke talks about these political tyrants and self-serving temple priests who are more focused on excluding rather than including...

When you exclude—you prolong the darkness...

When you include—you bring forth the light…

a variety of opinions…

diversity...

Here at Covenant, we welcome everyone into the body of Christ. At Covenant is where...

We reflect on the Word three days a week...

Where we listen, affirm, and encourage one another...

Where we discover obstacles, mountains, or crooked paths that we might be blind to ourselves...

Where we have a safe and loving space to make amends, turn our ways, and receive the support and accountability to do so...

Here at Covenant, we welcome everyone into the body of Christ, where we have a space to do that critical introspection necessary to turn our ways and lean on our siblings in Christ to hold us accountable. At Covenant, it is where...

We bless and praise God for his grace and love...

Where we bless our neighbors with food...

Where we bless our children with stories...

Where we bless each other when we have those special joys and milestones in our lives...

Where we bless each other when the dwelling gets tough and we need a spark of Light...

Where we bless each other for the love they bring into our lives...

You, Covenant, are a blessing in my life. As we dwell in this darkness over the next couple of weeks and prepare for the Light that is to come… I invite you to:

...Give Blessings

...Do that deep introspection and repent

… And Be Inclusive

In the name of our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, Amen.